Untitled - About the Philippines

Managing aquaculture and its impacts: a guidebook for local governments
fishing activities in international waters, and ensure that such agreements are not contrary to
Philippine commitment under international treaties and convention on fishing in the high seas;
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(l)
formulate and implement a Comprehensive Fishery Research and Development Program, such
as, but not limited to, sea farming, sea ranching. tropical/ornamental fish and seaweed culture,
aimed at increasing resource productivity, improving resource use efficiency, and ensuring the
long-term sustainability of the country’s fishery and aquatic resources;
establish and maintain a Comprehensive Fishery Information System;
provide extensive development support services in all aspects of fisheries production, processing
and marketing;
provide advisory services and technical assistance on the improvement of quality of fish from
the time it is caught (i.e. on board fishing vessel, at landing areas, fish markets, to the processing
plants and to the distribution and marketing chain);
coordinate efforts relating to fishery production undertaken by the primary fishery producers,
LGUs, FARMCs, fishery and organizations/cooperatives;
advise and coordinate with LGUs on the maintenance of proper sanitation and hygienic practices
in fish markets and fish landing areas;
establish a corps of specialist in collaboration with the Department of National Defense,
Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Foreign Affairs for the efficient
monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing activities within Philippine territorial waters and
provide the necessary facilities, equipment and training therefor.
implement an inspection system for import and export of fishery/aquatic products and fish
processing establishments consistent with international standards to ensure products quality
and safety;
(m) coordinate with LGUs and other concerned agencies for the establishment of productivity
enhancing and market development programs in fishing communities to enable women to engage
in other fisheries/economic activities and contribute significantly to development efforts;
(n)
(o)
(p)
(q)
(r)
(s)
enforce all laws, formulate and enforce all rules and regulations governing the conservation and
management of fishery resources, except in municipal waters, and to settle conflicts of resource
use and allocation in consultation with the NFARMC, LGUs and local FARMCs;
develop value-added fishery-products for domestic consumption and export;
recommend measures for the protection enhancement of the fishery industries;
assist the LGUs in developing their technical capability in the development, management,
regulation, conservation, and protection of the fishery resources;
formulate rules and regulations for the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks
and highly migratory fish stocks; and
perform such other related functions which shall promote the development, conservation,
management, protection and utilization of fisheries and aquatic resources.
Several functions have relevance to the aquaculture sub-sector while there are others
that explicitly mention coordination and/or support for LGUs. Items (a) and (e) refer to
two plans: the first refers to a fishery industry development plan while the second covers
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